Combination punch and stapling tool



May 25, 1954 R. s. NEUMANN COMBINATION PUNCH AND STAPLING TOOL 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1952 A WW V E mN G A M O R ATTORNEYS R.G. NEUMAN COMBINATION PUNCH AND STAPLING TOOL May 25, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1952 INVENTOR- ROMA G. NEUMAN ATTORNEYSPatented May 25, 1954 UNITED srr (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code(1952),

see. 266) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufaotured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a combination paper punch and staplerand more particularly to a paper punch and stapler which are arranged tobe actuated either individually or together by the use of commonactuation means.

When preparing correspondence to be filed, it i often desirable that anumber of sheets of paper be stapled together and holes punched thereinso that they may be stored in a file. To accomplish this severaloperations were formerly needed. It was first necessary to assemble thesheets of paper, place them under a stapler, staple the sheets together,remove the sheets from the stapler and place them within a paper punch,and then complete the operation by punching one or more holes in thepaper. Since a number of operations were required, the time necessaryproperly to prepare correspondence to be filed was unnecessarilyprotracted.

The present invention obviates such previous difficulties by combining astapler and a paper punch in a single tool which has actuation means tooperate the paper punch independently of or together with, the stapler.With this tool it is possible to accomplish in one operation whatformerly required several operations. This results in more neat work andalso increased efiiciency of operation.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide acombination paper punch and stapler. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a combination toolcomprising a paper punch andstapler on a single base member.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool wherein one ormore staplers and one or more paper punch units are mounted on a commonbase member and have common actuation means. 7

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a tool whereina paper punch and a stapler are mounted on a common base member andwherein there is actuation means which is effective to operate the paperpunch independently of or together with the stapler.

With these and other objects in View, as will hereinafter more fullyappear, and which will be more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference is now made to the following 2 description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective View of another species or" theinvention;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of another species of theinvention; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of still another species ofthe invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is shown in Fig. 1 a base member 13 upon which stapler unit i land paper punch units I5 and it are mounted. The paper punch units areactuated by means of operating handle 26'. The stapler is actuated bymeans of operating handle 2i. The paper punch units it and is form acomplete two-hole punch which may be in the form of any of a number ofwell-known such punch units. For example, they may be of the typeillustrated in U. S. Patent No. 2,482,218. Similarly, the stapler may bein the form of any of a number of well-known such units; for example,the stapler illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,479,680. The punches andstapler can be of any conventional construction, except that the stapleris provided with an elongated operating shaft 22" which places itsassociated handle 2! in operating relation with the punch operatinghandle 25. Preferably, special housings 23 are provided for the punchesfor iournalling the shaft 22' and aligning stub shaft 22.

Both the paper punch units and the stapler are operated by means ofhandles which actuate cam and follower mechanisms as is well-known inthe art. The operating handles 25 and 2! are arranged so that they maybe actuated separately or together. Punch operating handle to includeslatching piece 2d pivotally carried on the handle by a pivot 25 attachedto the operating handle 2E3. Latohing piece 24- is journalled to pivot26 in order that it can be turned to be over the handle 2!, as shown inFig. l, or at right angles thereto. A spring 2? is normally efiective toretain latching piece 2 3 firmly in place on handle M. It is apparentthat if latching piece 24 is moved out of engagement with handle 26, thehandle 28 can be operated independently of handle 21. If it is in placeover the handle it and below spring 2?, the two handles will movetogether.

Base member It includes a groove 28 in which ruled guide 29 slides.Guide 29 may be moved so that paper placed adjacent stop 36 may bepositioned relative to the stapler and the paper punches. In this wayduplication of the relation of the positions of the staples and holes inthe paper is always obtained.

Fig. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. The paper punchunits [5 and it are actuated by a handle 32. Handle 32 passes throughpunch unit it and is used to actuate stapler unit is. This embodimentvaries from that shown in Fig. 1 in that only a single operating handle32 is used to actuate both the paper punch units and the stapler at alltimes.

Fig. 3 illustrates another embodiment which is substantially similar tothat illustrated in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, however, the staplerunit I4 is placed between paper punch units it and I6. This arrangementmay be preferable in some instances.

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4. issimilar to Fig. 2 except that another stapler unit 35 has been added. InFig. 4, the common operating handle 32 actuates the two stapler units 5's and as well as the two punch units 55 and iii. This particularembodiment may be desirable if it is desired to staple paper in twoplaces at the same time that it is being punched intwo places.

Obviously for the embodiment of Fig. 4, the operating shaft 22" for thestapler unit 24 can be similar to the shaft 22'. However, in any of theembodiments itclearly within the skill of a mechanic to arrange theoperating shafts of the punches and the staples in any suitable manner,depending on the number and arrangement of the punches and staples used.

In all the embodiments illustrated, papers are inserted across the faceof guide 252 and within the punch units i5 an it until they rest againststops 3i and 23. Simultaneously the papers are moved until they are inabutting relationship with stop as of guide 29. The papers are therebyneatly aligned and the setting of guide 28 will determine the points ofcontact of the punches and staples with the papers. When the operatinghandle or handles are then actuated the stapling and punching of thepapers occurs.

It is seen that the present invention provides a unique means whereinthe two operations of stapling and punching may be performed in oneoperation. If it is desired, the operations may be performedindependently, thus enhancing the utility of the tool since there may betimes when independent operation is desired.

It should be understood that various modifications other than thoseillustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are contemplated and could obviously beresorted to by those skilled in the art Without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination. paper punch and stapler comprising a base member, apunch means and a stapler means mounted in a predetermined arrangementon said base member, means for supporting and positioning a plurality ofsheets of paper in a position for operation upon by both the punch meansand stapler means, an actuating arm for said punch means, an actuatingarm for said stapler means, and means releasably linking said armstogether so that both the stapler means and the punch means can beonerated together or independently.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said linking meanscomprises a pivotally mounted latch on on of said arms for selectivelyengaging the other of said arms, and biasing means associated with saidlatch for holding the latter in an operable position.

3. An invention of the type described, comprisa member, individualstapler means and individual punch means separately mounted on said basemeans in a predetermined spaced relaticn, mean for supporting andpositioning a plurality of sheets of paper in a position for operationupon by both the punch means and stapler means, actuating meanscomprising an operating member for said stapler means and an operatingmember for said punch means, and means for eii'ecting mechanicalengagement of said operating members for permitting joint operation by asingle actuation of said actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,479,680 Sibley Jan. 1, 1924 1,840,586 Jones Jan 12, 19321,938,386 Hicks Dec. 5, 1933 2,083,227 Drypolcher June 8, 1937 2,252,886Fusco Aug. 19, 1941 2,260,267 Struve Oct. 21, 194 2,482,218 Segal Sept.20, 1949

